It is important for optical components to be properly aligned, one to another, and particularly for them to have proper angular alignment. For example, in an optical telecommunications system, optical fibers are coupled to optical equipment in the system such as optical repeaters, equalizers, attenuators, add/drop multiplexers, and other transmission equipment. The optical fibers are typically aligned to the optical equipment whereby the “insertion loss,” which is the loss that occurs from the connection of the elements, one to another, is minimized. Lenses, mirrors, and Spatial Light Modulators (“SLMs”) are also typically angularly aligned within their respective component assemblies. In some cases, these such components are angled into position and locked down with epoxy, solder, and/or spring mechanisms.
A difficulty with typical alignment and attachment methods are that once aligned, the alignment is often not stably maintained over the changing environments to which the equipment and/or component assemblies are exposed. Angle instability directly correlates to insertion loss and signal degradation in an optical system. Such loss and degradation decreases optical network performance and may require the addition to the network of compensating equipment.
Additionally, known mounting systems are often not symmetrical about the component to be mounted, and thus the process of tightening and affixing of the optical component to the system tends to further create angular misalignment that must be iteratively compensated for.